General's Jacket

[pjm]

I acquired this general's jacket (I also have the pants somewhere) with 2 others in the 1980's in Germany. The buttons are marked "81".

Is the green for admnistration? Border Guard?

[Dimas]

I think this is just the borderguard of KGB

[vince54]

Hi, very nice !!!!

[wfrad]

Army marshals and generals piping up to late 70's, magenta for Engineer, Signals and Technical, red for the others.
So I would agree with border guards or security services.
Someone may have a detailed list of piping,

[pjm]

Thanks all for your input.

[Lawnmover]

To bring up an old thread ... I can't help but notice that the ribbon bar is a complete mess; put together. Let's see why:

First row: Unknown award (cannot see), then a mongolian award, then the Combat cooperation award and 50th anniversary of Armed forces

Second row: Order of the Red Star, Medal for combat service, Medal for Bravery in Fire, Order of Bogdan Khmelnitski III class

Third row: Medal for Bravery, 60th anniversary of Armed Forces, Medal Veteran Serviceman, Medal of Nahkimov

Fourth row: Distinguished military service II class (?), Capture of Vienna, Defense of Leningrad (or Sevastopol, cannot see if blue or green), 15 years of service

Fifth row: 30th anniversary of Armed forces, 20 years of service, 40th anniversary armed forces

Sixth row: Foreign award, possibly north korea.


As you can see - this is total bogus. The jacket is a fine borderguard major-general service uniform, but that ribbon bar has nothing to do with the reality.

[Lawnmover]

As you can see - this is total bogus. The jacket is a fine borderguard major-general service uniform, but that ribbon bar has nothing to do with the reality.

Since I cannot edit my earlier message, I will make this addition.

I just noticed that the collar leaves seem to be embroidered to cloth patches that are then separately sewn onto the uniform tunic. I have personally never seen that before for generals nor marshals uniforms and it makes me raise doubts on this uniform. I do not say that it is impossible - I just have not noticed that ever, owning and having owned numerous generals and marshals uniforms. I read that the uniform was bought in Germany - these patch-sewn leaves may be the work of a local east german tailor?

[pjm]

This uniform was acquired with 2 other Soviet general's uniforms in the late to mid-to late 1980's. The others were the typical red piped versions. At the time, there was little interest in the West and even less knowledge of what was what. The sellers were simply interested in getting some Western currency, cigarettes, Playboy Magazines or jeans. The three uniforms were purchased from a West German who had DDR contacts and were very cheap at the time.

The route Westward things took was often based on the secondary economy moved by souvenir hunting and commodities in demand.

Sometimes it was very basic: the status of forces agreement allowed for military inspectors to cross into the other's territory; Nato to count Soviet tanks, the Soviet inspectors would look for Pershing missiles etc.

The border crossing was the scene of basic bartering. US inspectors would bring a carton of cigarettes (always Marboros...cheap PX purchase) leave trough a check point and Soviet guards on duty would be prepared with an extra belt and buckle and a visor cap. Soviet guard leans in the vehicle to check papers and the exchange is made. Everybody thinks they got the better deal. Soviet guard sells the cigs back in the barracks, trades to a East German acquaintance for schnaps or just smokes them. GI has a great souvenir or sells to a collector.

I could understand dressing up a jacket intended for trade or sale to the West so the made up ribbon bar doesn't surprise me.

The applied leaves are interesting. Since the uniforms did come through the DDR so it's conceivable that this particular one was tailored there.